Disaster Report and shotgun mic question

[David Bock]

Report:
Last year I got the Sony shotgun mic ECM-Z37C. The specs claim that it uses plug-in power. I put a battery in it just for safety, then started using it for home video.

Sadly, I learned the hard way to test every new piece of equipment before trusting it. The battery ran out (of course I wasn't monitoring the audio while taping), and now we have hours of family fun MOS.

Question:
Can someone recommend a reliable pro/sumer shotgun mic for that is definitely plug-in powered? Under $200?

Thanks,
David

[Josh Laronge]

David,
Does your camera support phantom power? If not, you will need to get a Beachtek box or equivalent to power a mic which will add to your expenditure. You may want to check out the Rode NTG-1 which runs on phantom power. It's around $200 and has good sound and build quality. There also is the Rode NTG-2 that I believe is the same as the NTG-1 except in runs either self powered or with phantom power.


--JL

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by David Bock

Report:
Last year I got the Sony shotgun mic ECM-Z37C. The specs claim that it uses plug-in power. I put a battery in it just for safety, then started using it for home video.

Sadly, I learned the hard way to test every new piece of equipment before trusting it. The battery ran out (of course I wasn't monitoring the audio while taping), and now we have hours of family fun MOS.

Question:
Can someone recommend a reliable pro/sumer shotgun mic for that is definitely plug-in powered? Under $200?

Thanks,
David

Sometimes a dead battery in a mic will draw off or blocks the plugin power supplied to it. If the batter is in, it uses that, if it's out it uses plugin. Check your documentation.

[Ty Ford]

Or, some battery powered mics MUST have a battery in the slot, even if it's dead.

You DON'T need phantom power with battery powered mics.

Rode NTG-2, and several battery powered AT mics will work.

Regards,

Ty Ford